Petty's Run archeological dig in Trenton reopened to the public

TRENTON — A small sliver of land tucked behind the Old Barracks and beside the Statehouse, which contains the remnants of more than 300 years of human activity, was reopened to the public yesterday as an historical site.

VIDEO: Petty's Run Archaeological Dig UnveilingThe unveiling program for the restored Petty's Run archaeological dig on Tuesday, May 14, on the Statehouse grounds between the Statehouse and the Old Barracks Museum in Trenton. Martin Griff / The Times of Trenton

The Petty’s Run archeological dig, saved two years ago from being buried and backfilled, was unveiled at a ceremony with state and local officials yesterday.

The dig, named after the since-buried creek that ran through the site, unearthed history dating back to Native Americans who used the creek as a source of fresh water and a steel furnace built by Benjamin Yard in 1745.

Ian Burrow, co-owner of archaeological firm Hunter Research, was an advocate to preserve the site and said it holds international archeological and historical importance.

“It is the only excavated Colonial steel furnace,” Burrow said. There were only five such steel furnaces operating in the colonies at the time, as most steel was imported from England. The steel, he said, was used to forge the weapons used to fight the Revolutionary War.

He said Yard took a big risk to build the steelworks in the first place, seeing as it was an expensive and risky proposition at the time.

Burrow said the process to make the steel would have taken about a week to bake the metal at a temperature of about 1,200 degrees.

“They didn’t have a thermometer so it was really a science,” Burrow said.

Joseph Klett, state archivist and descendent of Yard, attended the unveiling ceremony and said he is proud to see a piece of his family history preserved for future generations.
“This was an important part of Trenton’s role in the Revolution,” Klett said.

Burrow, Hunter Research co-owner Richard Hunter and their team designed Petty’s Run to be an educational and historical destination for tourists, visitors and school children who hope to take a look down into the history of Trenton.

“They will get a better understanding of what this great city has given to the state and nation,” said state Sen. Shirley Turner (D-Lawrence).

In addition to the steel furnace, at the bottom of the 18-foot-deep hole, there are remnants of a mid-19th century water-powered paper mill that was then replaced by row houses, which covered up the stream.

The remains are open to the air and elements with the exception of the furnace, which Burrow said is too fragile and “crumbly.”

Six interpretive signs tell visitors of the historical importance of the site and its many uses throughout history. A walkway surrounds the dig to allow visitors to circle the site and see the remains from all angles.

Hunter said one challenge of designing the “outdoor classroom” was how to properly display all the rich historical finds which were built on top of each another.

“It offers a unique look and historical interpretation,” said Bob Martin, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

The DEP and Mercer County funded the $1.8 million project to preserve the historical site. The DEP will continue to fund $30,000 a year to operate the site.

County Executive Brian Hughes said if not for the collaborative funding effort, the site would have likely been buried.

“This was a creative cost sharing solution,” Hughes said. “Between the two we were able to make this site work.”